Pnin Gives A Party

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Story about Pnin, an assistant Professor of Russian at Waindell University, who gives a house-warming party. Pnin is happily wrapped up in his work & is newly settled in a rented brick house. Having a house to himself is a delight after 35 years of homelessness. Tells about the party & what a success it is; nearly all the guests are faculty members. After the party, Hagen, the head of Pnin's department, tells him that he is leaving Waindell & this means that Pnin will be out of a job. Describes Pnin's calm reaction. He almost breaks a treasured glass bowl while washing up the dishes, but when the bowl is secure on a shelf, Pnin feels that "losing one's job" is a meaningless echo in the rich inner world where none can really hurt him.